Downtown Burlington

ESOXBlue-collar hangout by day, college party by night. This open-air bar serves up burly beverages, billiards, and '80s jukebox rock. The Meathead ski-film crew has forgotten many a rainy winter day here. Peep the back walls for their tags. (194 Main St.)

JP's PubJoin Karaoke Dave on Wednesdays and Saturdays for billiards, foosball, $4.75 domestic mini-pitchers, and bad karaoke. Brush up on "Glory Days," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" before you go. (139 Main St.)

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Nectar's/Club MetronomeFamous as the birthplace of Phish, Nectar's is tuned in to up-and-coming acts, and it occasionally calls in heavyweights like Melvin Sparks or KRS-One. The gravy fries are the best this side of the border, and Saturday's "Retronome" (upstairs at Club Metronome) is a must-hit '80s dance party. (188 Main St.)

Red SquareLocal talent—hip-hop, jazz, blues, reggae, and funk—is the mainstay of this quirky Church Street bar. Try not to miss the Grippo Funk Band on select Monday evenings. Beware the $3 cover charge on weekends, though the action is usually worth it. (136 Church St.)

Ruben JamesWings are free during Friday and Saturday happy hours. On Thursdays, pints of Stowe-brewed Shed Mountain Ale are $3. Lots of flatscreen TVs mean you can catch the Sox, Bruins, Pats, and MetroStars all at the same time. Later on, the tables disappear and throngs of coeds migrate in. (159 Main St.)

The Vermont Pub and BreweryUnfiltered and unpasteurized suds are brewed right on the premises. The vibe is more restrained than rowdy, making this a great spot to grab a couple pints and a burger ground from local beef with a side of sweet-potato fries. (144 College St.)

What Ale's YouAles is your basic dimly lit basement watering hole teeming with youthful humanity. On Thursdays, buy your buddies and that group of college girls a round of $2 drafts. Talk philosophy and politics, not why they wore skirts and tank tops downtown in January. (125 St. Paul St.)

The Swiss are too cold, the Italians too hot. But combine the people and terrain of the mountainous border of the two nations and you get glorious schizophrenia. What if they were one country, united under schuss? Inside one man’s (unofficial) feasibility study for the UN.